http://www.conferoinc.com/journal/ Latest Entries for Confero Inc. Blog en davidl@visionpointmarketing.com Copyright 2009 2009-06-24T02:16:07-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/why-organizations-use-mystery-shoppers/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/why-organizations-use-mystery-shoppers/#When:02:16:07Z When I tell friends that I work for a firm that provides mystery shopping services, I am surprised by the responses. They are intrigued with the idea of mystery shopping and want to become mystery shoppers themselves. Most have experienced positive and negative interactions in buying situations and have wanted to convey feedback on their experiences. Aside from an interest in mystery shopping on a personal level, the average consumer does not think about why companies choose a mystery shopping service as a way to measure the customer experience. Consider the goals of those companies that use them: -Deliver excellent customer service consistently. Most companies do not have the ability to monitor employee service behaviors on a day-to -day basis. As managers review mystery shop reports over time, they gain insight on how employees are living up to company service expectations. They can use this ongoing information to ensure that they give their employees the right tools and coaching to provide great service on a regular basis. -Expect a high level of customer service from every employee. In a company with a well-run mystery shopping program, employees know that managers will commend those employees who perform well when shopped, and work toward improvement with those who don’t make the grade. Mystery shops contain specific behavior expectations for each position type, making them a great way for companies to move all employees to the same level of customer service delivery. For companies that set goals like these and work hard to meet them, mystery shop programs are well worth exploring. Knowledge 2009-06-24T02:16:07-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/confero-inc.-president-named-to-enterprising-women-magazines-advisory-board/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/confero-inc.-president-named-to-enterprising-women-magazines-advisory-board/#When:20:10:04Z CARY, N.C. — Confero, Inc. a national customer experience measurement firm, has announced that Elaine Buxton, president, has been named to the Enterprising Women Advisory Board for Enterprising Women magazine. Enterprising Women magazine is the nation’s only women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners that chronicles the growing political, economic and social influence and power of entrepreneurial women. As a board member, Buxton will provide advice to the publication’s staff to tailor the publication to meet the needs of entrepreneurial women. Press Releases 2009-05-05T20:10:04-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/confero-hot-spot-mystery-shopper-referral-drawing-winners-announced/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/confero-hot-spot-mystery-shopper-referral-drawing-winners-announced/#When:13:02:52Z Congratulations to Carrie H and Marnie W, who referred shoppers to us from Ahoskie, NC and Banner Elk, NC. . Carrie and Marnie have each won $50 for referring a friend who successfully performed a shop for us. Shopper Hot Spots, Shopper News 2009-04-21T13:02:52-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/Confero-Warns-Consumers-of-Scam-Artist-Posing-as-a-Confero-Mystery-Shop-Rec/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/Confero-Warns-Consumers-of-Scam-Artist-Posing-as-a-Confero-Mystery-Shop-Rec/#When:17:25:22Z As discussed in earlier posts, we have received requests from would-be mystery shoppers asking that we validate the employment of Robert Preston, Micheal Thomforde, James Clayton, Paula Moore, Carlos Burnett, Chris Jordan and now Alexander Hopkins. None of these persons work for Confero. These are made-up names used in official-looking email messages from people trying to scam unsuspecting consumers. Sometimes, the scam emails have been spoofed to look like the message is from Confero and to hide the true origin of the email. Other times, the sender simply pastes the Confero name or website into his or her email message. Either way, these scammers are attempting to fool consumers into thinking they are dealing with Confero. Persons interested in legitimate mystery shopping may visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) website for information about ethical, legitimate mystery shopping companies. Confero is a member of the MSPA. To register your interest to mystery shop for Confero,please visit the Shoppers’ Center tab above for complete details. If you have fallen victim to this scam, or if you have been contacted by any of these scammers, please file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).. The FTC also offers information about mystery shopping and the Mystery Shopping Providers Association at this link. What can consumers do to steer clear of this? Only sign up to mystery shop with reputable firms. All members of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association have agreed to honor a code of ethics. Reputable firms are not likely to ask for your name, address and other contact info via email. Sign up with firms that offer a secure website for sign ups. Never pay to be accepted as a shopper. Reputable firms pay YOU to mystery shop and charge you NOTHING to sign up. Consumer Alerts 2009-04-07T17:25:22-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/confero-president-elaine-buxton-named-to-mystery-shopping-providers-associa/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/confero-president-elaine-buxton-named-to-mystery-shopping-providers-associa/#When:23:23:43Z CARY, N.C. — Confero, Inc., (www.conferoinc.com), a national customer experience measurement firm, has announced that Elaine Buxton, president, has been elected to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) of North America’s 2009 board of directors. With more than 200 members worldwide, the MSPA is the largest professional trade association dedicated to improving service quality using anonymous resources. Buxton will serve as the internal communications chair for the 11-member MSPA North America board. Confero has been a charter member of the MSPA since 1998, and Buxton previously served on the board as treasurer from 1998 to 2003. Confero, Inc. offers customer service mystery shopping evaluations, customer brand support services, customer satisfaction research, and employee incentive and recognition programs. “I am honored to have been elected to serve on the Mystery Shopping Providers Association’s North America board of directors,” said Buxton. “I pledge to work diligently with MSPA to promote and grow the mystery shopping industry in North America.” Press Releases 2009-03-30T23:23:43-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/pre-paid-fedex-prize-package-returns-and-invoices/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/pre-paid-fedex-prize-package-returns-and-invoices/#When:18:24:16Z If you have received an invoice from FedEx for your Confero return shipment, please forward it to incentives@conferoinc.com . We will ensure that this bill is reversed. You are not responsible to pay any shipping costs. Please do not pay any Fedex bill that you receive. Background: Last month, we emailed all shoppers who were involved in the national quick service restaurant program that required on the spot prize distribution. About 100 shoppers received bills, in error from FedEx, out of the 8000+ shoppers who participated in the national program in Janaury and February 2009. As you may be aware, shipping is conducted using our client’s account. When our client switched from DHL (after DHL closed late last year) to FedEx, there were some billing glitches that occurred when the switch took place. Our project for this national client was its first major shipping effort using FedEx in 2009 and, unfortunately, most all the glitches hit during this national roll out. In some cases, shoppers were sent bills from FedEx for packages they returned to Confero. These invoices were billed in error and we are working with FedEx to get these resolved immediately. We have been assured that this will be resolved quickly with FedEx. Unfortunately, FedEx cannot tell us which shoppers were billed and which were not. We apologize for any frustration this has caused. We ask that you please work closely with us by forwarding any bill you receive from FedEx to incentives@conferoinc.com. Shopper News 2009-03-27T18:24:16-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/do-tough-economic-times-result-in-customer-service-improvements/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/do-tough-economic-times-result-in-customer-service-improvements/#When:13:31:11Z A business acquaintance recently asked my opinion on the current state of customer service in this tough economy. The reason? She had just returned from some routine business travel and found the customer service, from beginning to end, to be nothing short of effusive. I could not stop her as she sang the praises of the taxi driver, the airline gate agent, the flight attendants, the bell staff, the concierge, the restaurant servers, and on and on. She reported that she felt an obvious, heartfelt appreciation of her patronage from many employees. What was her explanation of this phenomenon? Perhaps the current economic circumstances have made the service workers increasingly grateful for their continued employment. Surely those who are grateful for their jobs would be grateful for the customers who make their jobs possible. Perhaps this could be the return of unilateral great customer service, where customers feel truly appreciated. I pondered her observation and tried to find similar situations in my own hometown, to explore her theory in consumer perception on a local level. I found her theory played out well in some businesses, and in others, the opposite effect seemed to be true. Customers were ignored while employees debated who would be given more working hours that week, or discussed the fate of their colleagues who had recently been laid off, speculating about who would “be next,” even guessing how long the establishment would remain open for business. What could account for the differences in scenario? I suggest: Leadership. Optimistic managers can turn our economic circumstance into opportunity for teaching the true value of customer satisfaction in terms of retention, word of mouth advertising, repeat business, recovery opportunities when something goes wrong, and other possibly positive domino effects. These optimistic employees are really “feeling it”: that appreciation of customers, who are a beginning of all good things that can happen for a business. The customers themselves are a variable in the economic downturn. Those harder-earned dollars are won and parted with less quickly. This means that an employee’s genuine thank you, a “little-something-extra” attention, or an establishment’s real, heartfelt care for detail really resonates with the customer. Show extra service and appreciation at just the time the customer needs it: what a tremendous opportunity to win customers! Knowledge 2009-03-26T13:31:11-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/mystery-shopping-scam-exposed-on-nbc-today-show/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/mystery-shopping-scam-exposed-on-nbc-today-show/#When:00:56:15Z As a reputable company with 24 years in business, we are always concerned about scams involving mystery shopping. An NBC Today Show segment discussed the mystery shopping scam that typically plays out like this: the consumer receives an unsolicited email from what looks to be a mystery shopping company. The consumer replies with personal information and accepts a “mystery shop” assignment from the bogus company. This consumer soon receives a certified check from the bogus mystery shopping company, along with an “assignment” to deposit the check and then send funds via Western Union or Moneygram to a person designated on the assignment. The idea is that Western Union or Moneygram are being “mystery shopped” and the mhystery shopper can keep a portion of the check amount. Usually, the certified check amounts are $900-2000 with shoppers enticed into performing the shop by being allowed to keep anwhere from $300 to $900. Eventually, what happens is that the consumer is notified by his or her bank that the certified check was not good. The full amount of the check is then charged back to the consumer’s checking account. .msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;} If you have fallen victim to this scam, or if you have been contacted by any of these scammers, please filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Consumer Alerts 2009-03-25T00:56:15-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/no-problem-is-a-customer-service-problem/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/no-problem-is-a-customer-service-problem/#When:20:22:03Z A recent experience in Orlando International Airport clearly reminded me why the phrase “no problem” could easily be associated with the phrase “no service.’ I had just placed an order at a quick service restaurant, and was handed my order in a bag, along with a cup to fill at a self-service station. At this point in the transaction, I said, “Thank you.” The efficient employee then said, “No problem.” No problem. It is not a meaningless phrase. “No problem” implies that you did not cause a problem. As a customer of this quick service restaurant, was I expected to cause a problem? Did the employee think I, in particular, might cause a problem? Is it a good thing that I did not cause one? Or was the employee somehow pleasantly surprised? I took my drink cup, filled my beverage, and turned to walk toward the departure gate. Just a few steps ahead of me, four military service personnel were engaged in conversation. I watched as a civilian gentlemen walked over to the group, shook hands with each service member and said, “Thank you for your service to our country.” Three of them replied with “You’re welcome.” The fourth, interestingly, responded, “My pleasure, sir. Please enjoy the freedom we defend.” The difference was striking. Knowledge 2009-03-20T20:22:03-05:00 http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/fraudulent-confero-recruiter-chris-jordan-added-to-list-of-fakes-in-scam/ http://www.conferoinc.com/blog/entry/fraudulent-confero-recruiter-chris-jordan-added-to-list-of-fakes-in-scam/#When:04:09:20Z We have recently received requests asking that we validate the employment of Robert Preston, Micheal Thomforde, James Clayton, Paula Moore, Carlos Burnett and now Chris Jordan. None of these persons work for Confero. This is a scam. They are offering the chance to perform Western Union shops where shoppers receive money orders in excess of $800. The shopper is then asked to try to send the check to someone, while retaining $200 for their time involved in conducting the shop and answering a survey. The money orders prove to be forged and the shopper is personally responsible for covering the amount of the checks. Previously, they had sent emails from Gmail or hotmail accounts. More recently, they have begun to send emails that appear to be from Confero using frontdesk@conferoinc.com or info@conferoemployment.us in the From line of the email. When shoppers attempt to reply, a Gmail address appears. Please do not give any personal information to anyone via email. You may register through a secure server on our website if you wish to become a shopper with Confero. Please forward any correspondence you receive from anyone claiming to be a recruiter with Confero to us at info@conferoinc.com. Thank you for assisting us as we try to identify and stop these people. This scam is being run using the good names of multiple mystery shopping companies. Almost all of the emails share a similar format. Confero is a Charter member of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA), which urges consumers who receive these offers to file a report by contacting the following: Consumer Alerts 2009-03-14T04:09:20-05:00